Hero Xoom First Ride Review: Gauntlet Thrown Down

With the Xoom 110, Hero clearly wants to take on some of the most youthful 110cc scooters on sale. But have they done enough to succeed?

It’s all about that first look, isn’t it? While this basic funda applies to an array of life scenarios, for now, I shall look at it from the perspective of a prospective scooter buyer looking for their next ride. And it’s a pretty straightforward game, isn’t it? A bit of showroom hopping, a bit of online research, maybe a couple of test rides of some shortlisted models and one is ready with a final buying decision, simply waiting to walk into a dealership and write a cheque, or swipe a card if you’re fancy. However, there’s always that one unforeseen product that is just waiting for you to lay your eyes on it, and boom! In one fell swoop, the mature, informed buyer transforms into a toddler unable to decide which ice cream to go for. Of late, one new scooter which can be that perfect ‘unforeseen product’ in my opinion is Hero MotoCorp’s Xoom 110.

Also Read: Hero Xoom 110 Launched in India; Top Highlights

What is it?

Simply put, the Xoom 110 is Hero’s latest attempt to woo teenagers and young riders with a product that offers fresh, new-age styling, a potent suite of features and a sporty riding experience. Launched in three variants – LX, VX, and ZX – the Xoom’s introductory price range starts from ₹68,599 and goes up to ₹76,699. For this amount, you get a product that features a bespoke suspension setup, all-new styling, a 110cc air-cooled motor borrowed from the Maestro Edge 110/Pleasure+, and an attractive list of features.

First Look

Straight off the bat, the Xoom 110 makes it clear that it’s meant to be a sporty scooter. That’s because Hero’s gone to town with its styling. A dominant ‘X-Shape’ theme is visible in the LED DRL at the front, as well as the LED taillamp. In profile, the Xoom 110 flaunts its 12-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, a neatly executed dual-tone colour scheme (available with every paint option on offer) and chiselled body panels. At the back, after the X-shaped taillamp, the next element that catches attention is a metal grab rail that’s integrated seamlessly into the rear design. With no bonkers livery to act as a deterrent, the Xoom 110 combines youthfulness with maturity, which is always a great combination. However, there’s a downside as well. From some angles, especially the front, the Xoom looks like a mix of multiple scooters, like the TVS Ntorq and Hero’s own Vida e-scooter. Not that it’s a deal breaker, but it just might raise a few eyebrows.

The Meat of the Matter

In essence, the Xoom 110 does the first step of the job very well, that of attracting a passer-by with its looks. But how is it to ride? In short, satisfactory. Let me elaborate. I found the Xoom’s ride to be quite stiff – it’s all fine until you hit a bad stretch of road and the ride becomes quite bumpy. But on the plus side, the stiff suspension aids its high-speed handling, especially around corners. It feels quite sure-footed. The braking, though effective, feels numb. The brake levers felt quite wooden, which can take some time to get used to. Plus, they require a hard press, so one-finger operation can also be ruled out. During my ride, the element that stood out was the engine. Unlike engines of most scooters that get noisy and start vibrating noticeably when pushed hard, the Xoom’s 110cc engine remains super smooth even at the edge, with virtually no vibrations coming from the body or the handlebar. Having said that, with only 8.05bhp and 8.7Nm at its disposal, the air-cooled unit runs out of steam pretty quickly on hill climbs. Thus, the performance is just about adequate for city use.

Gadgetry

The top-spec ZX variant comes with Hero’s new and segment-first Corner Bending Lights. With two additional lamps set on either side of the projector headlamp, these come on depending on which direction the scooter turns in. The idea behind it is to enhance safety while riding in the dark. Other feature highlights include a fully-digital instrument cluster, Bluetooth connectivity, a 190mm front disc brake, Hero’s i3S (Stop/Start) tech and 12-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels. In contrast, the base LX version misses out on most of these features but all-LED lighting is the only noteworthy feature that is standard across the range.

Also Read: Suzuki Avenis 125 vs TVS Ntorq 125: Comparison

Verdict

Clearly, the Hero Xoom 110 has decent scope for improvement. But areas where it stood out include styling, engine refinement/NVH, feature offerings, and build quality as well. And when you factor in its price range, the Xoom 110 makes a pretty strong case for itself. Despite this though, it won’t be an easy road ahead for the Xoom as it has some pretty potent rivals in its crosshairs, like the Honda Dio, for example. So, the Xoom is a well-built product that can lure you at first sight, but is it convincing enough to alter your buying decision? Only time will tell.